


clever boy

by thespacenico



Series: klancemas 2018 [18]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam should be a therapist, Cuddling, Fluff, Keith plans a date!!!, M/M, and the entire team helps, hand-holding, he's getting better though, oh and keith is still not very good at feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 14:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17347106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thespacenico/pseuds/thespacenico
Summary: klancemas day eighteen: snowed in





	clever boy

**Author's Note:**

> THIS PART IS DEDICATED TO THAT ANON FROM TUMBLR WHO JUST TURNED 19, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

_Dear Lance,_

Keith stares down at the paper in his lap, flattened against the cover of a large hardcover book he recently stole from the library. His pen hovers uncertainly at the end of the line he’s just written for a moment before he shakes his head. “Definitely not.”

He scribbles it out.

_Hey Lance,_

Keith considers. Is that too formal? Maybe that’s too formal. “Stop it,” he mutters to himself. The entire point of this is to _not_ overthink. He scribbles it out anyway. His eyes flick up to the top of the page, where he’d written _everything I wish I’d told you sooner_ only two nights previously.

He still isn’t sure exactly what he’s trying to accomplish with this, or in what direction he’s trying to take it. That was the only thing he’d written when he got to his room that night, still high on the rush of feelings that came with it, hand still warm and tingling where Lance’s had been, heart racing as Lance’s confession played over and over on repeat in his mind. All he knew was that it would be—something. Something that’ll make up for every single time that Keith didn’t, and doesn’t, tell Lance what he should have.

Things like: _I think my heart stops every time you so much as look in my direction,_ and _I like taking you to look at the stars because I like to look at you,_ and _your smile is like the feeling you get when the sun comes out from behind the clouds and brightens the room with soft summer sunlight, and when it’s gone you can’t help but miss it and wait for it to come back again._

Anyway.

There’s still a tiny part of him that doesn’t quite believe all of this is really happening. Even after falling asleep on the couch with Lance curled up against him, he half-expected to wake up and find out that he’d dreamt the whole thing. He had to keep reminding himself throughout the day that he doesn’t have to hold himself back from all those little urges anymore, like patting his hair down and reaching for his hand and even just staring. Not that Lance was making it easy for him to forget, with the constant smiles and light touches and the way he tosses an arm around his shoulders twice as often as before.

It’s only been a day, and Keith can’t get enough of it.

Maybe he would make a list. He _could_ make a list if he wanted to. But he’d never finish it if he went that route, Lance is constantly doing things that make Keith want to clamp his face between his hands and—point is, a list isn’t enough. He could write a letter, hypothetically, if he had any idea how to and what it would actually be about.

He’ll see what happens.

Keith sighs and taps the pen against his thumb. This doesn’t have to be the final product. Just like, a practice run. He moves the pen to the paper and mutters something about figuring out the beginning part later.

~~_I’m writing to tell you_ ~~

~~_Adam says I’m terrible at talking about how I feel, but maybe I’ll be better at writing_ ~~

~~_Dear Lance,  
_ ~~ ~~_I hope this isn’t too much_ ~~

~~_I’ve never really done this before so you’re not allowed to make fun of me_ ~~

~~_I have no idea what I’m doing_ ~~

Keith scribbles out the last line (which was mostly written out of desperation anyway with no intention of actually being included) and glares down at the paper.

“Why,” he mutters again, “is this so— _hard._ This is so _dumb—”_ He slaps the pen down and only barely resists the urge to rip up the page in his frustration. Not that he would have had time anyway, since then there’s a knock on his door and suddenly he’s scrambling to hastily fold up the paper and shove it underneath his pillows.

Adam sticks his head into the room just as Keith manages to shove the book and pen out of sight. “Morning, sport.”

Keith scoffs, quickly glancing toward his hiding spot one more time to make sure everything’s hidden as Adam lets himself in and shuts the door behind him. “You’re so old.”

“At least I don’t have white hair,” Adam shrugs before he drops to the bed on his side, propping his head up with his elbow.

“I’m telling Shiro you said that.”

“Go ahead. He already knows how I feel about his hair.” Keith rolls his eyes as Adam very purposely sighs dreamily. “It’s grown on me.”

Keith tries to inconspicuously shift a little closer to his pillow. Just in case. “Did you need something?”

Adam’s amused expression falters the tiniest bit. “Well, I have some good news and some bad news. Take your pick.”

“Uh,” Keith folds his legs. “Good news, I guess.”

“Okay,” Adam nods in acknowledgment. “But first: what’s this?” And then he holds up a familiar folded up piece of paper and Keith’s eyes widen.

“Nothing!” he blurts. He swipes at his pillow to see the empty space on his bed where his paper should be. “How did you—” He changes tactics and makes a grab for it, but Adam quickly pulls away and sits up, looking pleased with himself. “Adam—”

Adam just hums, waving the paper a little teasingly. “Seems important.”

Keith thinks about getting the book back out and smacking him over the head with it. “It’s just—Adam, c’mon. Give it back.”

Adam just raises an eyebrow, and Keith can only sit and watch helplessly as he slowly unfolds the paper, making sure to hold it out of reach in case Keith grabs for it again. Keith has never wished so badly for something to appear and swallow him whole, his face warming as Adam begins to read. It’s quiet for a painful minute while he skims the page, but his smug smile slowly fades the longer he does, and when he looks back up, all the teasing in his expression is gone.

“You’re writing him a letter.”

“No,” Keith denies, his face burning as he takes the opportunity to finally snatch the paper out of Adam’s hand. His eyes flick down to all of the scribbled out lines all over the page and he grimaces. “Maybe. I don’t—” And then he groans, dropping it into his lap and sliding a hand down his face. “I’m trying.”

Adam blinks at him. “How’s it going?”

“What do you think,” Keith sighs.

He keeps his eyes down on the page as Adam adjusts again, returning to his original position. “Can I ask what brought this about?”

Keith keeps staring down, smoothing out the crinkled edges of the paper. “It’s dumb.”

Adam pushes his glasses up onto his head and tiredly rubs his eyes. “You keep saying dumb things like that.”

“Like what?” Keith protests, but Adam mostly ignores him.

“Just stop trying so hard to invalidate your feelings.” He taps the page and goes on before Keith can retort. “Does this have to do with the party?” Keith still hesitates, but he nods slowly. Adam pushes his glasses back onto his nose. “What happened?”

Keith takes a breath and lets it out, the paper fluttering a little. “Lance—confessed, or whatever. While we were dancing.” Adam doesn’t say anything, just waits expectantly as Keith gathers his thoughts. “And he had like, this whole entire speech about it and I couldn’t even say anything back. I just stood there like an idiot.” He runs his fingers through his hair, frustrated. “I guess I thought writing would be easier.”

Adam hums softly. “What are you trying to say?”

“That’s the problem,” Keith sighs again. “Everything. All of it.”

“That’s vague. All of what?” Adam prompts.

“I don’t know! Just like—stuff. The things I’m thinking when I see him and… stuff.”

“They’re called feelings, Keith.”

He laughs a little when Keith makes a strangled noise and drops his head into his hand. “Why am I so bad at this?”

“You can’t be _that_ bad,” Adam says assuringly. “You two are official now, aren’t you?”

The thought of it still makes Keith’s heart leap in his chest and he has to bite his lip to suppress a smile before he remembers his dilemma and immediately falters again. “Yeah, but—it just didn’t seem fair. Doesn’t. I _want_ to tell him how I feel, he deserves to know, but so far he’s the only one who’s really done all the talking.” He shakes his head. “He even told me I didn’t have to say anything back. Obviously it still somehow worked out even though I _couldn’t_ say anything back but it was like he just…” Keith pauses. He lifts his head and looks at Adam, whose mouth is turned up into a small smile as if he’s watching Keith finally solve some kind of puzzle. “He just knew,” he finishes slowly.

Adam props his chin in his hand, his smile growing a little. “Hm. Maybe I should be a therapist.” Keith isn’t really listening anymore, just blinking down at his paper. Adam waits for a minute. “I can see your brain working.”

Keith’s brain is—working. “I need more paper,” he decides, balling up the page he has and tossing it in the direction of the trash can on the other side of the room.

Adam huffs a laugh when he misses. “Let me tell you the news I have and I’ll hand deliver you some.”

“Yeah, okay,” Keith says a bit distractedly, slipping off the bed and going to properly throw the paper away. “Good news first.”

“Good, because I was gonna start with that anyway. I think I’ve decided on a day.”

Keith drops the paper into the trash and comes back to sit down. “A day for what?” Adam levels him with a meaningful look, and he blinks, confused. “What—oh. _Oh.”_ His eyes widen and he gasps a little. “Wait, you mean you chose a day to prop—”

“Yes, that!” Adam shushes him, glancing back toward the door as if he’s afraid someone could burst through it at any moment. “Keep it down!”

“Sorry—” Keith stifles a laugh, but he lowers his voice. “Okay, sorry. When?”

He can tell Adam is trying to be cool about it, but he clearly can’t help his smile, his eyes glittering behind his glasses. “Christmas Eve. Mostly because I think I’ll explode if I have to wait any longer than that.”

“You won’t do it when I’m not there, right?” Keith asks quickly. “You can’t do it if I’m not there. I have to be there to record it so Shiro can see how much he cries.”

“Oh my god, you’re evil,” Adam snorts, and Keith grins. “No, I won’t do it without you. Everyone will be there. I just wanted to tell you.”

Keith’s face already hurts from smiling so much. “So you wouldn’t explode.”

“So I wouldn’t explode,” Adam confirms, heaving himself back up into a sitting position. “Anyway, that’s the good news.”

Keith falters a little. “Oh, yeah. What’s the bad news?”

Adam takes a breath. “Well—” He hesitates, and Keith is about to complain about him being unnecessarily foreboding when he finally spits it out. “We’re kind of snowed in.”

It takes a moment for Keith’s brain to process. He stares at Adam. “What?” And then it clicks the second Adam opens his mouth to repeat himself. “Wait, _w_ _hat?”_

Adam winces. “Yeah.”

Keith keeps staring. “No we’re not.”

“We are.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re not funny, Adam.”

“I’m not trying to be! See for yourself, Keith. Look outside.”

Keith clambers back off the bed and stumbles over to the window. And even from here, he can see that Adam is—not kidding. There is definitely not usually so much snow that he could open his window and practically touch it if he leaned out far enough. And yet.

His heart sinks like a rock in his chest. _“Today?_ Today, of all days.”

“Sorry,” Adam tries.

Keith groans as he turns from his place at the window. “Have you told Lance?”

Adam laughs at that, although he quickly brings himself back under control at Keith’s exasperated look. “Uh, no. I’d rather not see the look on his face. I might as well tell him his dog died.”

“He doesn’t have a dog.”

“I think you’re missing the point.”

Keith groans again. “Aren’t there people who come and clear all the snow or something?”

“Sure,” Adam allows. “But that may not be for a while. Maybe not even until tonight.”

“Why is my life like this,” Keith mutters.

“Someone does need to tell him, though. Preferably sooner rather than later.”

“Why do I have to tell him?”

“He’s _your_ boyfriend.”

Keith thinks about getting his book back out and throwing it into the snow just to throw something. He drags a hand down his face. “I spend two years plus in space defending the universe, and this is how it repays me.”

Adam just shoots him a sympathetic smile as he slips to his feet and opens the door. “Sorry, champ. Good luck.”

“Good luck with what?”

They both jump a little and Adam turns to see Lance standing there in the doorway like he’d just crossed the hall. It would’ve been funny if it weren’t for the feeling of dread still slowly filling Keith’s stomach.

Adam clears his throat. “And that’s my cue to leave.”

And then he leaves. Keith thinks about getting his book back out and chasing him down the hall just to throw it at him.

Lance is unfazed, taking Adam’s place as he enters the room and flops onto the bed with a big smile that _still_ makes Keith’s heart stutter. “Good morning, oh mullet of mine.”

Keith can’t even pretend to be annoyed at the decidedly terrible yet endearing new nickname. All he can manage at this point is a weak smile. “Hey, Lance.”

“Are you excited for today?” Lance asks cheerfully, wiggling his eyebrows.

Keith kind of wants to punch a wall. “Um—about that.” Lance seems to finally pick up on his hesitation, because his smile falters a little and Keith—nearly punches a wall. He takes a deep breath. “We’re kind of snowed in.”

And then he has to watch Lance’s entire face fall and he thinks he really might as well have told him that his dog died. If he had a dog.

“What?”

Keith is going to punch a wall. He just steps away from the window and points outside, and Lance comes scrambling over to look, fingers splayed against the glass. His eyes widen and his mouth falls open when he sees the problem.

 _“What?_ Today? But—”

“I know,” Keith says with a grimace. “Bad timing.”

Lance groans and Keith flinches a little when he drops his forehead to the window with a loud thunk. “Of course this would happen today.” Keith watches as he peels himself away and trudges back to the bed, falling into it face-first, muffling his voice. “The universe hates me.”

Keith sighs and goes to sit beside him, carefully folding his legs underneath himself. “The universe doesn’t hate you.”

“It does,” Lance insists, his voice muffled.

“It doesn’t.”

Lance just sighs after a moment, turning so his cheek is still smushed into the covers. “Sorry,” he mumbles, keeping his eyes down.

Keith snorts. “It’s not your fault, Lance. You can’t control the weather.”

“Yeah, but—” Lance’s gaze flicks up at him before he looks away again. “I just really wanted to take you on a real first date,” he says quietly.

The downward pull of Lance’s mouth and his scrunched eyebrows tug unpleasantly at Keith’s chest. “You still can,” he promises, tilting his head to match Lance. He attempts a reassuring smile when Lance glances back up at him. “We’ll just have to reschedule.”

Lance manages a small smile in return, reaching up to tug at a strand of hair hanging over Keith’s nose. “I guess I can wait a little longer.” Keith just pokes his cheek in response, and his smile grows.

They both start at the sound of Pidge’s voice from the hallway. “Friendly reminder that the door is open.”

Lance pushes himself up onto his elbows to squint at her as she walks by, glasses perched in her hair as she rubs her eyes like she’s just woken up. “So?”

“So could you at least spare the rest of us and close it if you guys are gonna be all mushy around each other?” her voice drifts back.

“I’m not mushy,” Keith mutters, even as Lance is loudly calling back that she’d better get used to it since they’re all stuck together in the cabin today whether they like it or not.

❆ ❆ ❆

So maybe Keith is mushy.

Or maybe he’s just soft. Sentimental? Something. Whatever. It’s not his fault.

Lance is clearly doing his best to cover it up through not-quite-there smiles and occasional jokes, but Keith can tell that he’s still disappointed about having to cancel their date.

Because yesterday he had insisted—even after their cookie-decorating fun in the very early morning—that he and Keith drive into town the next day so that they could go on a real, legitimate, proper first date. Hunk even agreed to let them take his car (the one they’d driven up to the cabin in), provided that it return to him in one piece. Adam only asked that they be back before dark because of the snow.

Lance hadn’t even told Keith what they would be doing or where they would be going, only that he would take care of everything and it would be “the best first date of your life.”

“The only first date of his life,” Shiro had corrected, and Keith thought about punching him, only Lance hadn’t heard and Shiro is practically a wall of brick so punching him would’ve done nothing.

Regardless, it’s difficult for any first date to actually occur when the pair meant to go on said date is snowed in. And maybe Keith’s reaction to the news left him with some mixed feelings; this would have been his first real date and that sort of terrified him, but he had also been really looking forward to it because Lance had seemed so excited, and that alone was enough for Keith to be. Lance, on the other hand, seems nearly downright crestfallen.

Which is why Keith finds himself marching up to Adam’s and Shiro’s room that afternoon while everyone else is in the game room and pointedly pushing the door closed to indicate the seriousness of his next words.

“I need the movie room tonight.”

Adam and Shiro blink at him from where they’re perched on the bed, Adam curled up with a book and Shiro leaning against his side with a Rubik’s cube he’s been trying to solve for at least a week now. Shiro’s probably grateful for the distraction, because he sets it down and directs his full attention toward Keith. “Okay? Do you want to have another movie night or something—”

“No,” Keith interrupts. “Well, yes, but—I mean—” Keith makes a frustrated noise and Adam sets down his book, looking amused.

“You mean for you and Lance.”

Keith nods quickly. “For me and Lance. For—yes, for us.”

The corners of Shiro’s mouth turn up into a smile, but it’s not teasing. “Is this because you didn’t get to go out today?”

Adam smacks at his arm and he makes a surprised sound of protest. “Quit teasing, Takashi. Haven’t you seen Lance pouting all day? This is serious.”

“I wasn’t teasing!”

“Guys,” Keith pinches the bridge of his nose.

Shiro pouts and rubs at his arm, but Adam ignores him. “What are you thinking, Keith?”

“I just—I want to do something to make up for today.” Keith starts pacing a little as he begins to think out loud. “I thought we could have a movie night. Just us. He keeps making random references to Jurassic Park so I think that’s a safe bet.” He pauses. Continues. “And snacks? Snacks are good. So like, popcorn and stuff. Or—something. Yeah. And soda. He keeps complaining about how we’ve been back on Earth for almost a year and he hasn’t had a single soda to forget what nunvil tastes like.”

“What’s nunvil?” Adam whispers.

“Space juice,” Shiro whispers back.

Keith keeps pacing. “But I need everyone to stay out or that defeats the purpose of it all. I guess it’s still not official but it needs to feel like it. Or I want it to. I want Lance to feel like it’s official. Sort of. And I want it to be a surprise—” He stops pacing when he looks up to see both Adam and Shiro staring at him with these funny smiles on their faces, and he immediately feels the need to get defensive. “What?”

“We should get him talking like this more often,” Shiro murmurs, turning his head to look back at Adam.

“He made some really good progress this morning,” Adam agrees with a nod, and Keith rolls his eyes exasperatedly.

“I didn’t come in here to be made fun of—look, are you guys going to help me or not?”

Adam scoffs as Shiro leaps to his feet, holding a hand out to help Adam up. “As if that was ever in question.”

“You guys go make snacks,” Shiro decides. “I’ll make sure Lance is distracted.”

“Also never in question.”

 

❆ ❆ ❆

 

 **T. Shirogane** has added **Keith K, Adam W, Princess, pidge,** and **Hunk** to **Operation Klance  
**December 18th, 6:55 PM

 **Keith K:** i’m sorry.  
what.

 **T. Shirogane:** pidge says it’s your ship name

 **Keith K:** our what.

 **Hunk:** i mean it’s that or laith and laith sounds like some kind of creepy sea serpent

 **Adam W:** it’s also an arabic name  
and a scottish variant of the word loathe

 **Princess:** what’s a ship name?

 **pidge:** i’ll explain it later allura don’t worry

 **Keith K:** you know what? i’m sorry i asked

 **T. Shirogane:** we offer you our help and this is how you thank us?  
adam and i raised you better than this

 **Keith K:** oh my god

 **Hunk:** not to interrupt the family drama but what exactly is happening

 **Adam W:** so here’s the deal  
keith is planning a movie night for him and lance

 **Hunk:** oh because they didn’t get to go on their date today??

 **pidge:** ugh  
… actually that’s really kind of sweet good job keith

 **Keith K:** thank you?

 **Princess:** oh keith that is wonderful!!

 **T. Shirogane:** alright i know we’re all very proud of keith but we need to focus

 **Adam W:** we need the rest of you to distract lance while we get everything set up  
and the movie room is off limits tonight  
no exceptions

 **Hunk:** we’re on it

 **pidge:** hunk and i are masters of distraction

 **T. Shirogane:** operation klance is a go

 **Keith K:** i’m begging you to please stop

 

 **Princess > Keith K  
**December 18th, 7:28 PM

 **Princess:** i hope you’re not worrying too much about this  
lance will love it :)

 **Keith K:** i hope so  
thanks allura

 **Princess:** **♡♡♡**

 

 **takashi + space children  
**December 18th, 7:50 PM

 **T. Shirogane:** movie in 10

 **lancey lance:** oh????  
where?

 **pidge:** take a guess

 **lancey lance:** we are in a mansion of a cabin pigeon u never know!!!

 **Adam W:** in the movie room

 **lancey lance:** what are we watching??

 **T. Shirogane:** you’ll see

 

Keith is pacing nervously at the front of the movie room when his handheld buzzes in his pocket. He quickly fishes it out and checks the screen.

 

 **Operation Klance  
**December 18th, 7:56 PM

 **Hunk:** he’s coming!

 **Princess:** have fun keith ♡

 **pidge:** be as mushy as you want since the rest of us will not be present

 **T. Shirogane:** go get him tiger

 **Adam W:** i at least want credit for helping with the snacks

 

Keith scoffs at the last message, but he bites back as a smile as he slips his handheld back into his pocket and takes a deep breath.

_Okay. I can do this._

He does another quick check through the room, making sure all the snacks are organized, a blanket nearby if they need it, the movie already prepared to play when he wants it to. Then he returns to the front and paces a little more, freezing when he hears footsteps coming down the hall.

His heart leaps excitedly in his chest when Lance pokes his head into the room, a bright smile lighting his face when he sees Keith. “Oh! Hey man, I’ve been wondering where you… went.” Keith watches as he steps inside, slowing to a stop as he seems to realize that they’re alone and looking confused as he glances around the room. “Uh. Where’s everyone else?”

Keith clears his throat. “Actually, um.” He shifts a little where he stands, unsure what to do with his hands. “It’s—just us.”

Lance blinks at him. “Just us,” he echoes, and Keith feels a twinge of panic alongside the sudden need to explain himself.

“I thought we could have a movie night,” he says in a rush. “Because—well, we didn’t get to go out today and I know you were really looking forward to it so I thought... I mean—” Keith swallows, trying to regain his composure as Lance just keeps looking at him, his face strangely unreadable. “I know it’s still not really the same, but Shiro said everyone will leave us alone and Adam helped me make snacks and stuff. And it’s not exactly official either, but I just wanted to do something, so—” He clears his throat again and rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah,” he finishes lamely.

The room is quiet as he waits for Lance’s reaction. Lance just keeps staring at him; long enough that Keith feels his stomach turn uncomfortably and his shoulders fall a little. _This is lame,_ he thinks miserably. _Oh my god, this is_ so _lame, he’s probably so disappointed—_

Lance blinks again after a moment. “You planned this?”

Keith feels his heart flip hopefully. “Yeah,” he repeats quietly.

And after another long, painfully stretched out moment of silence, a slow smile spreads across Lance’s face and he hops down the short steps, falling into the seat directly in front of Keith and grinning up at him. “So, what are we watching?”

Keith lets out a breath of relief, feeling the tension he didn’t even know was in his shoulders release as he does. “Um—is Jurassic Park okay?”

“Oh my god, _yes._ I was starting to think no one was noticing my movie references. I thought I was going to have to start running around the cabin screeching like a velociraptor.”

“Velociraptors don’t screech,” Keith huffs a laugh.

“Well, they definitely don’t roar.”

“Don’t they just like, chirp—”

“Start the movie, mullet.”

“Yep.”

Lance makes room for Keith when he comes back to the front, casually wrapping an arm around his shoulders and smiling once Keith is squished into the seat beside him. “Okay?”

Keith just settles a bit more against his side in response and tries not to smile too much when Lance eventually slips his fingers through his while the kids in the movie are screaming and trying not to get eaten by a T. Rex.

He really doesn’t mean to fall asleep. It’s not his fault that he’s still kind of tired from staying up until 3am baking cookies the other night, and his stomach is full of popcorn and chocolate and soda, and Lance is really, really warm next to him.

All he knows is that one second the Muldoon guy is sneaking through the forest looking for one of the velociraptors, and then the next the credits are rolling. Keith blinks sleepily in the dark as his brain tries to process his surroundings. He feels Lance’s arm around his shoulders again, but it takes a moment for him to register the glow of a screen beside him as Lance scrolls through his handheld.

He looks up when Keith moves, lifting his head from his shoulder and rubbing his eyes. “The movie’s over?”

Lance snorts. “Yeah, you fell asleep right before Safari Guy got eaten by the velociraptors.”

Keith frowns as Lance pulls his arm away, slipping his handheld into his pocket. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Because you were tired?” Keith opens his mouth to answer, but Lance cuts him off, laughing a little. “Don’t feel bad, man. It’s fine.” He stands from their seat and holds a hand out to help Keith up. “Wanna call it a night?”

 _Not really,_ Keith thinks, but his eyelids are already sort of drooping again, and Lance stifles a laugh as he frowns in concentration to keep them open. “Sorry,” he mumbles, but Lance just smiles and shakes his head.

Lance collects their leftover snacks while Keith turns everything off and picks up any trash that’s been left behind. He’s not sure where everyone is, but no one is downstairs when they go to the kitchen to put their stuff away, and no one lingering in the hallway when they go up to their rooms.

“Hey.” Lance turns to Keith when they reach his door, quickly glancing behind them as if to make sure no one’s listening. “Thanks for tonight. I had a really good time.” He cracks a lopsided smile. “Way better than anything I had planned.”

A pleasing feeling bubbles up in Keith’s chest, and he smiles back. “And what exactly did you have planned?”

Lance hums. “I can’t tell you. We’re just rescheduling, remember? Still a surprise.”

Keith feigns exasperation, rolling his eyes half-heartedly. “Ugh, fine. I guess I can wait.”

Lance’s smile grows impossibly wider as he steps across the hallway to his own door. “See you in the morning.”

“Okay.” Keith opens his door and slips inside, poking his head back out before he closes it. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, oh mullet of mine.”

Keith makes a choking noise and Lance snickers. “That’s terrible.”

“Would you prefer Emo Edgelord?”

“Oh god, please no.”

He can’t help but smile when Lance laughs again, slapping a hand over his mouth to silence himself. “Okay, seriously. Goodnight, Keith.”

“Night, Lance.”

**Author's Note:**

> listen jurassic park is still one of my all-time favorite movies so maybe i'm projecting a little okay  
> the title is a jurassic park reference btw... the line is "clever girl" but since keith was all sneaky and planned a lil movie night for them i was like haha what a "clever boy" am i right (it's terrible i know i'm sorry leave me be)
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr](https://www.taxashi.tumblr.com)!  
> 


End file.
